Coupling and steering means for tractors.



R. E. HAMILTON.

COUPLING AND STEERING MEANS FOR TRACTORS.

' APPLXCATION FILED FEB. 5. 191a.

1-,Q3Q293. Patented June 19, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Q I m n a .wlgiss g 0 f gVENTOQ. 1 BY A TTORNEYS.

R. E. HAMILTON.

COUPLING AND STEERING MEANS FOR ,TRACTORS. APPLICATKON FIVLD FEB. 5. 1916- 1,23Q,293 Patented June 19, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. E. HAMILTON.

COUPLING AND STEERING MEANS FOR TRACTORS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. I9I6- 1,230,293 Patented June 19, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESS IN V EN TO A TTORNEYS.

EUR

' hereinafter described, -llustrated HAMILTQN, F GE'Z'SL-RVILLE, CAL

GQMEAE Z'Y, 0F SAN dRANGIfiCO, CALIFO Iron-ma, ASSIGNOE re iii/animators rnec'ron .nm, A con-renames: or oanrronnm.

GGUZPLIIEICT A311) STEERING MEANS EOE TEACTOES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Boer: E. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Geyserville, in the county of Schema and State of California, new useful Improvements in Coupling and Steering Means for Tractors, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a draft coupling for connecting a trailer to a two wheeled tractor, wnerebythe tractor may bercadily steered. and the direction of travel thereof controlled.

The inven ion is more particularly designed for connecting wheeled plows, cultivators or other farming implements with a tractor, and whereby the implement will be enabled to be guided about the field and to operate close to trees, fences, and the like,

and the invention has for its principal obprcvide a structure for rigidly congects to Y with the tractor and will permit the same to swing relatively each other on a vertical axis, and

will, 3 rmit the wheeled implement to o ilate re ivelv to the tractor on a loninipl ement dinai ftKlS.

iifith the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts in the accompanying drawings and set forth in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that'various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be re sorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

To more fully comprehend the invention, reference is directed drawings, wherein Figure l is a view in side elevation of an improved two wheeled tractor, disclosing the steering connection. at the rear end thereof.

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan of Fig. 1.

3 is a side elevation in detail of the implement, disclosing the connection between the plow and the tractor and the steering mechanism g more particularly to the drawings Wlmrein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,--l is a suitable tractor 3pecification of Letters Patent.

have invented certain '21 in the subfrarne 14.

to the accompanying Patented June 19, 391?.

Application flied February 5, 1916. Serial 220. 76,343

frame carrying the axle 2 extending transversely centrally of the frame 1, supporting the Wheels 3 which mount the traction members 4. Power is supplied to the wheels by a suitable motor 5 carried by the frame 1 and preferably of the internal combustion type, and which is cooled by a circulation of Water from the radiator 6 and the fan 7 driven by a belt 8 from the engine crank shaft. The crank shaft carries a fly wheel 9 and drives through a suitable clutch 10 and the change speed gears mounted in a. suitable gear box 11.

A split shaft 12, mounted in bearings 13 in the sub-frame 14; and driven through the diil'erential 15, receives its power through a worm 16 carried by a shaft 17 driven by the gears in the box 11 and shaft 12 transmits the power through pinicns 18 to gears 19 carried by a shaft 20 mounted in bearings The shaft 20 carries at its opposite ends pinions 22 which operate on the internal gears 23, one of which is carried by each supporting wheel 3.

A suitable frame 24.- is carried at the rear of the frame 1 ard. the same is formed with a segmental rear portion 2'5 provided with teeth 26. A steering yoke 27 extends over the rear of the frame 24, and is vertically pivoted at its inner end to the frame member 28 by the tubular bolt 29, so that the free rear end there-cf is free to swing horizontally. A pinion 30 carried by a shaft 31 journaled in the steering yoke 27 engages the teeth 26 of the segment 25 and on the rotation thereof causes the yoke and frame to move relatively to each other to steer the tractor, as desired. A. shaft 32 is rotatably carried in bearings 33 on the yoke 27 and is in geared relation with the shaft 31 through 95 the beveled gears 3%. The shaft 32 is rotatcd by a steering rod 35 connected thereto by a universal joint 36 and carrying at its end a steering wheel 37 which is positioned adjacent to the operators station on the plow, hereinafter described.

A means controlling the power connection from the engine to the wheels of the tractor extends to the operators station on the plow, thereby requiring but a single opera- 105 tor to control the implement, steer the trac tor and control the speed of the same. gear shift member 37 is provided. for shifting the change speed gears, and the-same is connected by a link 37 withone arm of. 110

pivotally mounted crank arm 37 the pposite arm of said crank arm 37 is conto be received in apertures 37 9.-

" frame -tor bar,

A stub shaft 38 extends substantiallyhorizontally from the approximate center of the .rear'of the'yoke 27 and is rigidly secured thereto, and pivotally supported thereby to swing on a longitudinal axis relative to the 1 is a clevis 39 in the form of a substantially flatfiplate formed in its surface with the-perforations 40. Rigidly bolted at oneend to the clevis 39 is a tractor bar 40 which extends rearwardly therefrom, and said bar carries a seat 41 for the operator, and a brace or frame 42 which supports the plate 37 Plow beam links 43 nected at one end to the clevis 39 and pivotally connect at their opposite end with the forward end of a plow beam 44 which pivotally carries the substantially U-shaped supporting axle 45 mounting the supporting wheels 46. A lever 47 for raising and lowering the position of the free ends of the are pivotally conaxle relative to the plow beam is'secured thereto, I which cooperates with a slotted segment 49 and the same carries a pawl 48 for changing the angle of the plow beam.

The plow beam carries one or more plows,

50; for purposes of illustration I have disclosed a single mole board plow, and said beam is connected slightly in advance of the axle 45 with the tractor bar 40 by the members 51 which are positioned one on either side of the plow beam and rigidly secured thereto by the bolts 52. The upper end of the members 51 are connected by the bolts.

53, positioned one on either side of the tracand said bolts are positioned to permit of a free pivotal and sliding movement of themembers relative to the plow beam.

My improved coupling enables the operator to steer or guide the tractor in the desired path as the turning of the steering Wheel causes the tractor to move laterally, and this is permitted by the differential 15 in the shaft 12 which enables the tractor wheels .to travel at different speeds. The

. coupling enables the tractor and implement following to swing relatively to each other on a vertical axis and also enables the two members to oscillate relatively to each other .on a horizontal axis and at the same time ing of the ends of prevents any independent raising or lowerthe tractor or implement. By my improved construction Ihave pro.-

with one arm of a piv oted crank arm 37, v which connects with mounted to a spring lever 37.

. vided an apparatus which is capable of complete control by a single operator stationed adjacent to the implement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: I

1. In combination with a two wheeled tractor, of a wheeled member to be drawn thereby, a connection between the tractor and wheeled member comprising a yoke carried by the tractor and pivoted to swing on a vertical axis, a clevis carried by the yoke and pivoted to swing on a horizontal axis, and a rigid connection between the wheeled member to be drawn and the clevis.

2. A connection, for uniting a tractor and a wheeled member 0r implement to be drawn thereby, the same comprising a yoke carried by one of the members and pivoted thereto, to swing on a vertical axis, a clevis carried by the yoke and'p'ivoted toswing on a horizontal axis, and a rigid connection between the other member and the clevis.

3. In combination with a two wheeled nection between said wheeled member and yoke, a rotatable gear carried by said yoke and engaging said segmental rack, and a steering member associated with said gear and extending adj acent to an operators station on said wheeled member.

4. In combination with a two wheeled tractor, a wheeled member to be drawn thereby and capable of carrying an operator, a pivoted connection between said tractor and wheeled member, said connection maintaining said tractor and wheeled member horizontally disposed relatively to each other and at the same time, permitting of a swinging movement relatively to each other on a vertical and horizontal axis, and steering means for wheeled member.

5. In combination with a two wheeled tractor, of a wheeled member to be drawn thereby, a draft connection between the tractor and wheeled member comprising a yoke carried by the tractor and pivoted to swing on a vertical axis, a stub shaft extending horizontally from said yoke, a clevis pivotally supported by said shaft to swing on a horizontal axis, and'a rigid connection between the wheeled member to be drawn and said clevis.

6. In combination wheeled member to'becapable of carrying an with a tractor, a drawn thereby and operator, a pivoted connection between the wheeled member and tractor, a tractor bar rigidly secured to the steering said tractor and tion and the tractor, operating means for said steering connection carried by said tractor bar and extending in proximity to the operators station on said wheeled memher, and tractor controlling means extending from the tractor through the pivot of the connection between the wheeled member and tractor to a point adjacent to said operators station.

7. In combination with a two wheeled tractor, a wheeled member to be drawn thereby and capable of carrying an operator, a pivoted connection, between said tractor and wheeled member, said connection permitting said tractor and wheeled member to swing relative'to each other on a vertical axis and to oscillate relatively to each other on a horizontal axis and maintaining said tractor and wheeled member horizontally disposed relatively to each other, steering means, carried by the coupling. member and tractor for moving the same-r latively to each other on the vertical connec ion between the same, and steering connection for operating said steering means and extending in proximity to the operators station on the wheeled member.

8. In combination with a two wheeled tractor, a wheeled thereby and capable 'of carrying van operator, a pivoted connection between said member to be drawn tractor and wheeled member and pe said tractor and wheeled member a relatively to each other on. a vertical steering connection between the connection and the tractor, operatir g for said steering connection, trolling means, said tractor con means and said steering operating r. extending to a point in proximity to e operators station on said wheeied. membc. 9. In combination with tract wheeled member to be drawn the capable of carrying an operator, connection between the wheeledi'n tractor, said connection perm tractor and wheeled member to s tively to each other on a vertical steering mechanism between the connection and the tractor, tractor ling means,

said tractor controlling m and said steering mechanism adapted swing with said wheeled tractor movement of said pivoted connectior In testimony whereof 1 have sis name to this specification in the pi two subscribing witnesses.

BUSH E. "EAMi the I Witnesses:

HARRY A. Terran, D. B. Browsers. 

